Visit the Home of Drumfolk’s Step Afrika

U Street Corridor, Washington, D.C.

The next stop on our trip around the globe isn’t too far—it’s Washington, D.C., home of Drumfolk’s Step Afrika!

First, watch this Explore Video to get to know the Step Afrika!, then learn more about their two historic homes—the U Street Corridor and Howard University—and our nation’s capital.

The U Street Corridor

Once referred to as “Black Broadway,” the U Street Corridor was a commercial and cultural hub for African Americans from the 1920s to the early 1960s and a prominent symbol of black culture during a time of racial and political tension in America. The neighborhood began to decline following the 1968 Washington, D.C., riots caused by the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1986, the city launched a redevelopment plan and today, U Street is a vibrant and culturally diverse neighborhood bustling with eclectic art, theater, music, restaurants and boutiques.

Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is one of 107 historically black universities (HBCU) established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to serve the African American community. To date, Howard has awarded over 120,000 degrees in the arts, sciences and humanities. The historic main campus is just blocks from the storied U Street Corridor. Notable alumni include:

Ralph Bunche, The first person of color to receive the Nobel Peace Prize

David Dinkins, the only African American to serve as Mayor of New York City (1990-1993)

Kamala Harris, the second African American woman to be elected to the Senate and a 2020 presidential candidate

Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice

Toni Morrison, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author

Pauli Murray, A civil and women’s rights activist and the first African American woman to be ordained as an Episcopal priest.

C. Brian Williams, Founder and Executive Director of Step Afrika!

Did You Know?

On July 16, 1790, Congress declared the city of Washington in the District of Columbia the ninth and permanent capital of the United States. The previous eight capitals include New York City and Philadelphia. Since the District of Columbia is not a state, residents were unable to vote in presidential elections until 1961 when the 23rd amendment was ratified.

New York’s own Billie Holiday was a staple of D.C. entertainment, performing regularly at The Howard Theatre, Lincoln Colonnade, Olivia Davis’ Patio Lounge and Brown Derby.

When she was first starting out, she performed in 1937 at The Howard Theatre with the Count Basie Orchestra. Just a few years later, she returned for week-long engagements as headliner in 1940 and 1941.

THE NEW 42ND STREET

The New Victory Theater is a project of The New 42nd Street, a nonprofit organization that leads the dynamic evolution of the reinvented 42nd Street, cultivating a unique cultural and entertainment destination at the “Crossroads of the World.”